|
|
Mortgage News
Spring Homebuying Season Under Way |
Low rates from early February into March lured prospective homebuyers to purchase homes. The difference in monthly housing payments offered homebuyers the extra incentive needed to lock in purchase contracts and home loan rates. In February, purchase applications were 3 percent higher than the same time a year ago, with most of the gains coming from FHA financing, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). Even existing homeowners submitted refinance applications to take advantage of low rates, resulting in combined purchase and refinance loan application volume at its highest in six years. Despite some volatility in mid- to late-March, rates stayed low enough to welcome what is anticipated to be a busy spring home buying season. Feeling Good About Housing ConstructionThe warmer spring season is finding homebuilders in a sunnier mood, despite drops in housing construction starts in both February and March. Homebuilder sentiment rose four points in April to a level of 56, according to the National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index. Any number over 50 indicates that more builders view housing conditions as good. Feeling Bad About Housing InventoryA continuing concern is the lack of homes available for purchase. Low inventory can drive up prices, with many competitive buyers out-bidding each other to secure the most desirable homes. Total housing inventory at the end of March was slightly lower than the same time a year ago, and new listings are not coming on at nearly the pace needed to meet demand, according to an April CNBC housing report. Stay tuned for the next quarterly Homes & Money Newsletter for an update on how housing fared in the prime summer months, coming in August 2015.
|
Did You Know?
|
|
|
|
Memorial Day was formerly known as Decoration Day, and started after the American Civil War to commemorate the soldiers who died in the war.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Finance News
Retail Discount Offers: Bargain or Trap?
Tips on how to determine if those retailer discounts are really worth it.
By Carolyn Bigda, Kiplinger.com |
Move over, Sunday coupons: Retailers dangle discounts in other ways these days. But to get the deals, you have to give something in return. Here's our take on when the trade-off is worth it. Become an e-mail subscriber. Worth it, but wait until you're buying a big-ticket item, says online shopping expert Michelle Madhok. You get a discount of, say, 10% or more, but the coupon is good only once, and only for a limited time. Connect on social media. Worth it for retailers where you shop frequently. By "liking" stores on Facebook or following them on Twitter, you get early access to sales or special discounts. The same goes for downloading a store's mobile app. For example, Gilt.com, a flash-sale Web site, runs mobile-only sales. Get a store credit card. Not worth it, especially if you carry a balance. The average interest rate for retail cards is 23%, compared with 15% on general-purpose cards. The interest you pay will quickly wipe out the discount of 15% or more you get when you open the card. Instead, use sites such as GiftCardGranny.com to find discounted store gift cards. The savings can be as much as 20% or more.  Reprinted with permission. All Contents ©2015 The Kiplinger Washington Editors. Kiplinger.com.
|
Quote of the Day
|
|
|
|
 Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.– Robert Louis Stevenson
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Creative Cuisine
Restaurant-style Mexican Rice |
|
This all-time favorite can now be enjoyed right at home.
(Serves 6 to 8)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 cups long grain white rice
- 4-5 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Heat oil in a heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat until sizzling, add rice and sauté, stirring frequently until lightly toasted (8 minutes). Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Blend tomato sauce and onion in food processor, then add to pan with the salt, cumin and chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer until all liquid is absorbed. Let rest for 10 minutes. Add cilantro and fluff with fork before serving.
|
|
|
|
Home News
Lighten Up! |
Windowless rooms feel dark, no matter what the weather is doing. So how do you make a windowless room feel inviting and bright, without punching a hole in the walls or ceilings? Here are seven simple design tricks:
- Satin, semi-gloss or high-gloss paints reflect light, while flat paints capture more light. But the glossier the paint, the harder it is to hide imperfections—prep walls accordingly.
- Translucent or shiny furniture lends a more airy feeling. Consider pieces of glass, dark reflective marble, polished nickel and translucent acrylic.
- Large mirrors act like faux windows, but with double effect: increasing light and making the room appear larger. Prop one against the wall on the floor, or behind a seating area or other focal point.
- Reflective picture frames made of mirrors or shiny metallic surfaces, and hung gallery-style across an entire wall can be captivating, as well as lightening.
- Hang lamps lower than normal to draw the eye into the center of a space, rather than highlight the walls. Create an inviting aura over a love seat, bed or sitting area.
- Replace solid doors with glass to let in more light. Fogged glass retains the ambience without sacrificing privacy.
- Create a single focal point such as a seating area, fireplace, large painting or oversized plant. Be careful about clutter; when it comes to accessories and furniture in windowless rooms, less is always more.
Source: Trulia
|
| |
|
|
Book Review
"The Credit Cleanup Book:
Improving Your Credit Score, Your Greatest Financial Asset"
By Shindy Chen |
"The Credit Cleanup Book" is the first credit repair guide written after the credit crisis of 2008. Good credit is essential for making financial moves in the modern world, yet most consumers don't understand even the basics of reporting and scoring, let alone how they are approved for loans and services. This step-by-step guide will teach you about credit, ways to remove negative and inaccurate items from your report, pitfalls to avoid while dealing with credit bureaus, and great tech tools to help. If you're ready to clean up your credit—in many cases in as little as 30 days—but don't know where to start, this book is for you! Find it here on Amazon, and sign up for the free Credit Cleanup Newsletter at TCCBonline.com.
|
| |
|
|
Money Smarts
Beat Summer Gas Prices |
Fortune Magazine recently reported that summer gas prices are expected to be at their lowest levels since 2005! If you're traveling by car this summer, keep these easy to remember tips in mind for getting even more mileage out of the gas you buy. SHUT IT: If you want the best mileage, air conditioning won't help, and rolling the windows down creates drag (or wind resistance), which is a similar reduction of gas mileage. According to the Energy Department, the best strategy is to open windows while driving at lower speeds, and use the AC on low at higher speeds. APP IT: Use your smartphone to find the lowest prices at surrounding gas stations. The most popular apps are Waze, Gas Guru and GasBuddy. Find the best route and avoid traffic jams with route planners like Road Warrior and Route4Me to save even more. SLOW IT: Every 5 mph that you drive over 50 is equivalent to paying an additional 17 cents per gallon. And due to the unpredictability of traffic (not to mention the risk of a ticket), speeding rarely pays off. INFLATE IT: When tires aren't properly inflated you use more gas, plus your tires wear more quickly. Make sure to carry a good pressure gauge in your glove box. DUMP IT: Don't leave unnecessary weight in the trunk, or wind-resisting cargo containers on the roof—especially in smaller cars. PARK IT: Don't idle the engine when you're parked. It takes less gas to turn off and then restart your car once you're ready to leave. Source: Associated Press
|
| |
|
|
Facts & Figures
Have You Seen These? |
While there's no secret sauce for a video to go "viral," these popular viral classics offer a hint of the necessary ingredients, along with the latest number of views as of this writing: Charlie Bit Me: The reigning champ with over 800 million views, this classic was captured in 2007 by the boys' dad; Charlie is now 9 years old, his brother Harry is 11. Evolution of Dance: In 6 minutes comedian Judson Laipply takes us from the robot to the chicken dance to the twist—290 million views. Sneezing Baby Panda: Captured at China's Wolong Panda Breeding Center, it's a close contender for second place with over 216 million views. David After Dentist: As 7-year-old David's medication wears off he questions life as we know it. Now 14, David's video has been viewed over 128 million times. RickRoll'd: More of a practical joke than a viral video. Still, it launched singer Rick Astley into internet infamy, now with over 71 million views. Dramatic Chipmunk: Prairie dog, actually, but that hasn't stopped the shortest video (5 seconds) on our list from garnering 43 million views and counting. Zombie Kid Likes Turtles: Ask a 10-year old a random question, get a random answer—and over 47 million views. Keyboard Cat: We can only add "Long live the non sequitur!" At over 39 million views to date, it seems there's no sign of stopping this meme. Otters Holding Hands: Captured at the Vancouver Aquarium, these adorable sea otters float around, nap and hold hands. Over 20 million people agree this is too cute! Source: Time
|
Trivia Challenge—My Famous Mom
|
|
|
|
Match these kids to their famous mothers:
|
|
- Kate Hudson
- Rashida Jones
- Gwyneth Paltrow
- Melanie Griffith
- Carrie Fisher
- Laura Dern
- Georgia Jagger
- Sean Lennon
- Isabella Rossellini
- Jamie Lee Curtis
|
- Jerry Hall
- Blythe Danner
- Goldie Hawn
- Peggy Lipton
- Ingrid Bergman
- Janet Leigh
- Diane Ladd
- Tippi Hedren
- Debbie Reynolds
- Yoko Ono
|
|
For answers, see below.
|
|
|
Thank You
|
|
|
|
As always, we wish to thank our clients who have been kind enough to refer business to us. We appreciate the opportunity to provide excellent service to your family, friends and co-workers.
|
|
|
Trivia Answers
|
|
|
A-3, B-4, C-2, D-8, E-9, F-7, G-1, H-10, I-5, J-6
|
|
|
|
|
